The Loo of the Year Award not Just a Gimmick!

Publish Date: Friday February 21, 2020

The Loo of the Year Award not just a gimmick but an important performance indicator!

The provision of public toilets helps facilitate safe and sustainable public access to parks, beaches and the wider countryside for the masses. After the first world war the right to roam the countryside, parks and beaches became not only a right for the privileged few, but also the masses who wanted the right to enjoy the great outdoors. However, this necessitated the need for our municipal beaches, parks and open spaces to have public toilet provision, even without a statuary requirement our forefathers led a crusade to ensure the best public toilets in the world.

The vision our forefathers had has now become our Achilles heel as without a statuary requirement for the provision of public toilets UK wide budgetary priorities within local governments are making it very difficult to maintain and keep public toilets operational. Recognising the challenges a partnership between Fife Council and FCCT , saw the FCCT take on the management of 15 public toilets and over a period of 8 years we have achieved so much:

• Numerous Platinum, Gold and Silver awards for our public facilities all over Fife Council
• The replacement of the toilet block on St Andrew West Sands
• Upgrades of facilities at Craigmead, East Lomond, Pittenweem West Braes and East Sands
• Extending operating days at many facilities through partnership working
• Making provision for public toilets at Pitcairn (32 hours a week)
• Nationally recognised awards e.g. Loo of the Year Award best Local Authority 2018

And in 2019 FCCT was awarded the:

• UK Washroom Cleaner of the Year In-House Cleaning Team Trophy and National Award for Scotland,
• The Loo of the Year Awards Public Toilet Entries Award
• The Local Authority Entries Award for Scotland and awarded five National Category Awards.

Winning in company such as Danfo (UK), Caerphilly County Council Borough Council (Wales) and Belfast City Council (Northern Ireland) is a fantastic accolade for our charity. This could not have been achieved without the coordinated efforts from all the staff at FCCT and the many other stakeholders we work in partnership with.